Latest news with #militaryproduction
Arab News
17-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Britain seeks German help against people smuggling gangs on landmark Merz visit
LONDON: Britain sought a firm commitment Thursday from Germany to change its law to help smash people smuggling gangs, as the two countries agreed to boost defense ties on the first official UK visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The trip comes a week after undocumented migrants also topped the political agenda during a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Merz signed the first ever 'friendship treaty' between their countries at London's Victoria and Albert Museum before heading for talks at the PM's Downing Street office. Merz said London and Berlin had agreed an exchange program for German and British students. Speaking in German, he said he believed allowing the 'young generation' to get to know each other and their respective countries was a 'good basis for the further development of our relations.' The two leaders were also expected to unveil a deal to jointly produce military goods such as Boxer armored vehicles and Typhoon jets, which could lead to 'billions of pounds of additional defense exports,' Downing Street said. They were to commit to developing a precision strike missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) in the next decade. 'Chancellor Merz's commitment to make necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of the dangerous vessels which carry illegal migrants across the Channel is hugely welcome,' Starmer said ahead of the talks. His office said it was hoped the German legal changes could be made 'this year.' Undocumented migration has become a major headache for Starmer's year-old Labour government, as support for the upstart anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars. More than 22,500 would-be asylum seekers have arrived on England's southeastern coast by small boat from northern France this year alone. The 'friendship treaty' also seeks to improve post-Brexit ties with its neighbors. Macron's trip in early July was the first state visit to the country by a European Union head of state since Brexit — the UK's acrimonious 2020 departure from the bloc. A German government source said 'we shouldn't underestimate' how much relations with the UK had improved since the 'traumatic' experience of Brexit. The friendship deal would be a 'foundation on which we go further to tackle shared problems,' Starmer said. The two leaders were also to discuss continued support for Ukraine, with both countries expected to play a role in US President Donald Trump's plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries. The visit is Merz's first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip by train to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May. The wide-ranging treaty will refer to the turbulent security situation faced by both countries, and include a mutual defense pact. 'There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other,' pact says, with a pledge the two countries 'shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack.' While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defense as NATO members, the treaty aims to pave the way for greater defense cooperation, including operations on NATO's eastern flank. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accompanied Merz, meeting with his British counterpart, David Lammy. On migration, Merz's government is expected to make a commitment to modify German law by the end of the year to criminalize the facilitation of 'illegal migration.' This will include action against storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings. The two countries will also commit to improving train connections. Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s — the first such direct connection between the UK and Germany.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Three killed in Ukrainian drone attack on central Russia
Three people have been killed and 35 taken to hospital following an attack by Ukraine on a factory in the city of Izhevsk - more than 1,000km (620 miles) from the border, Russian authorities those injured ten had suffered serious injuries, the governor of Udmurtia Aleksandr Bechalov said, adding he had briefed President Vladimir Putin on the reportedly targeted the Kupol Electromechanical Plant - a military factory which is said to produce Tor surface-to-air missile systems and radar stations. The plant also specialises in the production of Osa air defence systems and has developed drones, according to Ukrainian media. An Ukrainian official confirmed that two long-range drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Kupol plant from a distance of around 1,300 km (807 miles)."Each such special operation reduces the enemy's offensive potential, disrupts military production chains and demonstrates that even deep in Russia's rear, there are no safe zones for its military infrastructure," the source said in comments reported by Ukrainian media.A video posted on social media and verified by the BBC showed an explosion on the roof of a building, followed by a large plume of black smoke rising over a factory-type civil aviation regulator Rosaviatsia imposed restrictions on operations at Izhevsk airport, before lifting them a few hours later. This is second Ukrainian drone attack on the Kupol factory since November - although that strike had not resulted in any its part, Moscow continues to carry out attacks in Ukraine. At the weekend Russia launched a record 537 drones and missiles on various locations across the country, including Kyiv and the Western city of Lviv. On Monday Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky granted the Hero of Ukraine award posthumously to an F-16 pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, who was killed while trying to repel the aerial the battlefield, while Russia's advance on the Sumy region seems to have stalled, Moscow appears to be targeting the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region. Unconfirmed reports in Russian media suggested Moscow's forces took control of the first village in the rounds of talks aimed at agreeing a ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow have taken place at the behest of US President Donald Trump since May, but have failed to produce tangible results. Last week, President Putin said Russia was ready to hold a new round of peace negotiations although he said that the Russian and Ukrainian peace proposals were "absolutely contradictory".On Monday Zelensky again expressed scepticism of Putin's intentions. "Putin has already stolen practically half a year from diplomacy... on top of the entire duration of this war," the Ukrainian leader said."Russia is not changing its plans and is not looking for a way out of this war. On the contrary, they are preparing for new operations, including on the territory of European countries."US senior envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg echoed this on Monday, when he wrote on X that Russia could not "continue to stall for time while it bombs civilian targets in Ukraine". Moscow swiftly pushed back, saying it was not "interested in stalling anything" and thanking the US for its support.
